Grails

Following soon after the Black Tar Prophecies collection on Important Records, Portland, Oregon's Grails return with their first proper studio album since 2004 release of Redlight.

Starting like some throwback psychadelic Appalachian guitar workout and ending more as a Krautrock-inspired jam, Dead Vine Blues is an example of Grails' ambition to provide some connection between instrumental post rock and more archaic song structures and formats. Rather like The Six Parts Seven, Grails make use of traditional American instrumentation (bango, picked guitar, mouth harp and lap steel) alongside the more usual electric guitars and looper pedals of their post rock peers.

Dead Vine Blues is a modern interpretation of what perhaps might have happened had Led Zeppelin jammed with the Grateful Dead high in an Appalachian homestead. Taken off the suitably moonshine titled Burning Off Impurities - their debut for Temporary Residence Ltd. - this is a rare album that not only pushes the group forward but also significantly raises expectation in where the instrumental rock genre will go next. With psychedelic, ambient and world music all playing a part in the current Grails sound, it will be interesting to note where they and bands such as The Six Parts Seven and Grail's TRL labelmates Explosions in the Sky will go next. The band themselves cite Ash Ra Tempel, Erkin Koray, Popol Vuh, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin as influences and not only are these clearly seen in their output but also potentially incendiary points for their musical exploration. Post World Kraut Psychrock anyone?

Grails - Dead Vine Blues MP3 from Burning Off Impurities (Temporary Residence 2007)
Grails - Stray Dog MP3 off of Black Tar Prophecies Vol's 1, 2, & 3 (Important Records 2006)

Grails on myspace
Grails webspace

Explosions in the Sky

I guess it's rather predictable for me to include a track from the new Explosions in the Sky album, but predictable just has to be done sometimes ... Maybe that's appropriate as many who have heard the whole album, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone, have accused it of being predictable too. Perhaps this is rather unfair as the album sees them gradually refining their exquisite sound, not reinventing it. What is certain is that the band have again captured the more joyous side of post-rock, with soaring and swooping melodies combining to make a soundtrack to some long forgotten post-dawn walk back home after a night out.

For those who haven't come across Explosions in the Sky yet, they are a four piece formed in the suburbs of Austin, Texas in 1999. After a series of local gigs, they were signed to Temporary Residence on the recommendation of the American Analog Set who submitted a brief note with the demo simply saying "This totally f***ing destroys".

All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone is their fourth album and is released this weekend. Welcome Ghosts features Explosions' trademark intertwining guitar leads, soaring melodies and pummelling drums.

Explosions in the Sky - Welcome Ghosts on Temporary Residence

Stray Dog Cafe

Hailing from Wigan, Stray Dog Cafe take their cues from The Fall, Shellac, Captain Beefheart and the whole world of angst ridden, edgy alt-rock. The three piece of wiry guitar, thunderous bass and pounding, angular drums form their own self titled brand of itchy, restless and noisy Minimal Dirt Rock.

Although the band have been around since 2004, today sees the release of their first shiny 7" - "Maxamillion / Theme: From Warlock".

(Admittedly, this post is spam for some friends, but I think they rock in an interesting way that you will enjoy!)

Streaming audio from their website.

The Six Parts Seven

Hitting the shelves today is the new long player from The Six Parts Seven, Casually Smashed to Pieces on Suicide Squeeze. Refining the alt.country/post-rock sounds of their previous albums (Things Shaped in Passing, [Everywhere] [And Right Here] and assorted split releases and remix projects), the album is a distilled piece of instrumental americana. Not afraid of adding lap steel and Memphis horns into the rarified world of post-rock, they mark a refreshing shift from the more apocalyptic work of the leading lights of the genre such as Godspeed, Mono and Mogwai.

To celebrate the new release, their record company has posted a MP3 best-of, containing a couple of the new album's tracks (Stolen Moments and the divine Falling Over Evening) while revisiting some of the band's back catalogue.

The Six Parts Seven - MP3EP on Suicide Squeeze

Tim and Sam's Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam

TaSTatSBwTaS are a guy called Tim and his band, of which there are usually six, none of which are called Sam. When they play live, half the members wear T-Shirts with 'Tim' written on them, no one wears a T-Shirt with 'Sam' written on it. Only one member, Tim, is called Tim. They make instrumental music with acoustic guitars, clarinets, cellos, glockenspeils and ahhhhs. The sound is organic, melodious and, well, cute; kinda like a forest saying goodnight to all the little woodland creatures. In my experience, it's rare to find a band that attempts to channel youthful awkwardness into something so graceful and unashamedly uncool--I think it's great.

I bought this EP from Tim's mum, as she was sat behind a table at the gig. It came with a free teabag. But if you don't live in Manchester, you can grab Tim's self-released three track EP from the myspace. Here's the magnificent title track; enjoy:

Tim and Sam's Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam - Stepping Stones